Faisal ul Rehman, 48, was shot and killed in a road rage incident on Barry Hertzog Avenue in Emmarentia on Sunday.
Image: FILE
The family of the man who shot and killed a motorist during a road rage confrontation in Emmarentia on Sunday has broken their silence, saying he acted in self-defence to protect both his own life and that of his wife.
In a statement issued to IOL on Wednesday, the family acknowledged that a life had been lost but said they stood by the actions of their family member, whose identity they asked to be withheld.
"We wish to state at the outset that we are not insensitive to the fact that a life has been lost," the family said.
"A family has suffered an irreplaceable loss, and innocent children traumatised by the events are also now without a father.
"We extend our sincere prayers and thoughts to them during this difficult period."
The man was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly shot and killed Faisal ul Rehman, 48, on Barry Hertzog Avenue following a minor collision between their two vehicles.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the confrontation turned deadly after Rehman's wife, Tehseen, retrieved a firearm from their vehicle.
The man, who was also armed, then opened fire.
Rehman was killed, and Tehseen was wounded in the hand and shoulder.
Both firearms were legally licensed, Nevhuhulwi confirmed.
Rehman and Tehseen's two young children were present when their father was shot dead.
Dashcam footage showed the two men locked in a physical fight moments before the shooting.
Separate cellphone footage, widely shared on social media, showed Rehman's young daughter weeping beside her father's body while her brother pressed his bloodied hands into his chest, performing CPR.
The National Prosecuting Authority on Tuesday announced it would not prosecute him pending further investigation.
The family said the NPA's decision had since been converted into a formal inquest following a full consideration of the evidence presented by their legal team.
"Notwithstanding that our family member acted in clear self-defence, we mention that he was not only defending his own life but that of his wife as well," the statement read.
"We believe it is important to reaffirm the constitutional principle of the presumption of innocence, which protects every person in SA.
"No individual should be judged or condemned before the facts are properly examined through lawful processes."
They thanked witnesses who came forward during the investigation.
"We take time to also send a heartfelt thank you to the men who risked their lives trying to protect us, standing at times in the direct line of fire," the family said.
They called for the shooting to serve as a lesson about the dangers of road rage.
"We believe that the most respectful way to honour the deceased and his family, especially his children, is to ensure that lessons are learned, that road rage incidents are never allowed to escalate to violence, and that no family, whether ours or theirs, or anyone else for that matter, should ever have to endure such a tragedy."
The family said they would not be making further public comment and asked for privacy.
Rehman's nephew, Muhammad Wasi Haider, told IOL that Rehman never pointed his firearm at the other man and that the shooter could have avoided killing him.
"That person could have avoided killing Faisal ... he shot to kill him," Haider said.
Rehman was a car dealer from Pretoria and the sole provider for more than 15 families in Pakistan, where he sent money every month, Haider previously said.
Throngs of mourners prayed over his body at Westpark Cemetery on Tuesday night.
His remains are expected to be ferried to Pakistan for burial.
Tehseen remains in hospital.
IOL